Update to the CPS-ECP Introductory Navigation (B2 and B3) Courses

BT2 BT3

The Education Department recently approved a plan to update the introductory navigation courses commonly referred to as B2 and B3. The plan calls for an update of both the course content and new names to better reflect the content of the courses.

July 12, 2023

The Education Department recently approved a plan to update the introductory navigation courses commonly referred to as B2 and B3. The plan calls for an update of both the course content and new names to better reflect the content of the courses.

These courses were last updated in 2016, at which time a single course, Boating Essentials, was divided into two courses, to respond to the perceived need of shorter courses and to create a course focused on the training needs of inland boaters. However, many Squadrons, both inland and coastal, continued to offer the B2 and B3 courses in a combined 10 – 12 lesson format as it was recognized by Squadrons’ that most topics in the combined format were essential for boater safety training.

The new plan calls for the courses to be recombined so it can be offered as a single course or in a two-part format to respond to the need for shorter courses at the same time sending the message to boaters that both parts of the course are essential training.

The other major change is that the electronic navigation content will be significantly upgraded, including practice cruises using chartplotters and tablet or phone-based apps. The upgraded content will include a revised section on operator and crew responsibilities to better reflect the need for this type of training.

The updated course, Basic Navigation & Boat Handling, is being piloted in an online format starting in the fall of 2023, with classroom versions with new course manuals scheduled for early 2024. However, classroom and simulcast versions of the course can be offered using the upgraded online format in the fall of 2023. This online/classroom delivery approach has already been successfully tested by some Squadrons.

Register for an upcoming course at www.boatingcourses.ca.

 

Related Articles

Video Gallery

Bennington 22 MSB

By Andy Adams

If you’ve already had firsthand experience with a pontoon, you will easily understand the appeal of the Bennington 22 MSB. But if you haven’t, let’s start by reviewing a few of the reasons why pontoon boats have become top sellers in markets across North America.

Pontoon boats began in the early 1950s as basically four steel drums lashed to a frame. They were not unlike the log rafts of ancient cultures and not much more sophisticated at first.

Read More

Destinations

The Best of Two Worlds

By Mathew Channer

Interior British Columbia might not be as famous for recreational boating as Canada’s Great Lakes, yet it is no less a world-class boat­ing destination. The mountains offer their own flavour of marine adventure with their series of long, deep ribbon lakes, and there is perhaps no area that embodies this more uniquely than the iconic Okanagan basin in southern B.C. One could be forgiven for assuming this valley was purpose-built for nautical fun, with a few delightful perks thrown in to make the area entirely irresistible (wine-tasting, anyone?).

Read More

Lifestyle